Landslide
by Inita
Summary: Blue Dragon Anime. Dedicated to: Kittygirl86. Over the years, she watched him grow... But the two year span is changing him... It's pulling him away from her. Slight Shu/Kluke.


**A/N****: **_I'm tired, I'm angry, I'm upset... need I go on? I deleted a fanfic of mine and I see another one going away in a minute or two -.- I have studying and violin practice, I'm mad at Daniel, I'm angry for other reasons... Must I go on?_

_Ugh, sorry 'bout that... I'm p-ed off as you can see... Not good, not good... So far, I have only told __**one person**__ the __**full reason **__why I'm angry... the rest don't need to know unless so wishes to know._

_Dedicated to: __**Kittygirl86**__: Stay strong, little one. This dangerous sailing will thin out when the monster from the depths resides back to his cavern. Remember that he's nothing. He's a monster. You need to hold on to your ship; you __**can't let go**__. Though you may slip and fall into the black depths, and maybe he has dragged you down, you still have the strength to swim back up. Don't lose grip of that mast... When you find land, your ship will be rebuilt into something far sturdier and stronger than it is now. You must never forget that. Stay strong, little one. It'll be over soon._

_Blue Dragon Anime. Slight AU. Snippets._

_Title is based on a song. Want the artist, PM me._

_Was originally going to be Andropov/Kluke, but I changed my mind... I don't like Shu/Kluke for the game, but I don't mind it for the anime._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon._

/

**I. Youth and Motor Scooters**

A six year old Shu grinned cheekily, running his hand along the handle bars of the motor scooter. He swung to the other side and positioned himself on the cushioned seat. However, being the short ass he was, his feet didn't reach the pedals... Much to his dismay. The smile faded and was replaced with a 'lidded-eye' stare. Nonetheless, he grasped the yellow handles and started making stupid noises that a motor would make. Aloud, he was laughing quite joyously at intervals while on the inside, he was praying that Kluke wouldn't make fun of him _before _killing him... Wait... Maybe he had it the wrong way around. Completely ignorant of the 'gear change' and the 'power button' on the handles, he just _happened _to switch the gears to the max (six) and just _happened _to hit the power/start button. His eyes widened quite largely as the scooter started with a jerk, slamming forward full throttle down the road.

"_Aah! ! K-Kluke! ! H-Help me! !_"

Right as he said her name, a girl in a black dress, magenta ribbon, yellow sash (around her waist), and pink scarf opened the door. Little Kluke was exactly the same age as Shu, but unlike the latter, she had a higher intelligence when it came to machines. Perhaps a higher intelligence compared to everyone else on machines for a mere _six year old_. She shrieked and charged down the steps, forgetting her small boots. Instead of yelling something about her scooter, she yelled instead, "Shu! ! _Be careful_! ! Hit the brakes! ! Don't let go! !" Kluke wasn't exactly fast, but she was able to run alongside her scooter, having programmed the sixth gear to her speed. Gesturing Shu to move back (which he did), she jumped and landed on the seat (stumbling just slightly).

She nagged him for his idiotic decision while steering the scooter to better terrain—

"Kluke! ! A tree! Look out! !"

He received an irritated look, but when she averted her gaze ahead and saw the tree, she screamed bloody murder before pulling herself and Shu off the seat, and onto the ground. The mechanism collided into the thick tree, glass and metal crunching between the two. Debris spat out from the sides and, for the icing on the cake, a loose and quite large branch lost its grip and fell, finishing off the scooter.

"_No_! !"

Shu merely gapped and braced himself for her nags... Which did come nevertheless. But as each word passed her lips and hit him, he was overwhelmed by a feeling of guilt. It smacked him in the face quite brutally and Shu found himself opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. "B-But! I-I! B-But!" Before he could get his _real _phrase out, she turned and ran towards her house, crying for her mom and dad (and maybe crying because he broke the first motor scooter she had made herself _without _any help). The boy smiled sheepishly when Kluke's parents cast an appalled look at the scooter, and then a disappointed one at Shu.

It wasn't until next week when Shu helped her build the next motor scooter. The one painted a light blue with a nice looking headlight, gray handles, and a glass 'screen' that shielded the control panel from view. Kluke was overjoyed and even decided to take Shu with her on the first ride.

It was perfect.

**II. Youth and Melancholy**

Kluke chewed on her lower lip, standing outside Shu's house. Even at the age of eight years old, she _knew _what it was like to lose a parent... Two at that. She strained her ears more and was able to pick up a few words from Fushira and Shu. They were... _arguing_? No... Shu was screaming and crying and Fushira was comforting him. For a second, it almost seemed as if Shu's voice had dropped down to that low an octave to be mistaken for his grandfather's... Or maybe it was just the hollowness of the house and the walls' abilities to make voices echo. She had lost track of the time when Shu had thrown open the door with an irritated yell, charging towards the forest. Near the ruins.

"_Shu_! !" Kluke cried, reaching out with her right hand. Rather stand and wait, she kicked off and started running after him.

/

She found him sitting on one of the ruins, arms folded atop of his knees, chin resting on arms. Shu seemed so out of reach for her... It was awful. She _never_, _never_ in her whole life saw him in this state of melancholy. Kluke swallowed and began climbing the ruin, finding the footing easier than she had anticipated it to be. She gingerly tapped him on the shoulder and he whipped around, eyes red and brimmed with tears. He tensed up when he saw her face, turning away to roughly run his forearm across his face. Kluke knew he never wanted her to see him like this. Shu was always so happy and blissful whenever he was around her... Seeing him like this was just completely different.

Like a different Shu.

"Shu... Can we talk?" When she didn't receive a response, she sat down next to him, giving him a worried look. "It's fine if you don't want too... I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in this." Racking her brain, Kluke still couldn't remember _how _exactly Shu's parents died... She remembered the village, peaceful, calm, and serene... And then Shu (panicked) shouting her name, and that was it. Her memory pulled an awful, hateful blank on her mind. She hated herself for not remembering... She _hated _it. She _hated _herself for it...

After her words though, she found herself pulling Shu into a hug while he sobbed out his feelings.

Ever since that day, she had never seen him cry like _that _again.

**III. Growth and Maturity**

The battle against the darkness was indeed brutal. Enemies and unknown monsters arose from the purple-like mist, taking down the soldiers as well as innocent children. It was monstrous. It was unforgivable. It was hard to believe that the world has come to this. It was _darkness_.

Kluke's hands were balled into fists, one up on her chest and the other by her side. The dull, yet gentle breeze of the forest threw her hair up in little zephyrs. She never imagined herself going into battle like _this_; it was just too surreal. She only came along to assist the others rather get involved with the fights. At the same time though, there was this nagging feeling that she knew – she _knew _– that she was going to be engaged in battles against the other Shadow wielders. Kluke shook her head, eyes squeezing shut, before picking up the pace, hurrying behind Shu. She cast a look at him and it was right then and there when she discovered how much he _grew_.

That once innocent face... The face – that had never seen danger save for the one epidemic that took his parents away - was twisted into a look of seriousness, and a heavy dash of maturity.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat, suddenly upset. It _shouldn't _upset her though. But it was hard to let him go... All her life she had grown alongside this boy, looking after him. She remembered the time they made the fort in Talta Village, when they explored the Ancient Ruins, when he accidentally broke the headlight (the first time) on her motor scooter... Good times... Well, save for the last one, which had resulted in Shu meeting Kluke's oversized wrench face to face. Kluke remembered how much he comforted her when her parents died... She of course, did the same, but it just meant _so much_ to her. It was just hard to see someone grow up so fast. It _scared her_ when she realized this: Shu won't need her anymore. He's nearing the age of manhood; he won't need anyone looking after him.

By the time camp was set up (finding a place in the forest that wasn't _completely _consumed by darkness was difficult), they all gathered around the small fire, not a word was spoken. It was almost too solemn for them to endure. It was at this point in time when Kluke looked around, searching for her childhood friend. She felt her stomach drop when she realized that _Bouquet _wasn't there either. Eyes narrowed and teeth gritted, she stood and wandered off, trying to find the lake that was stranded in the middle of the forest (after all, Shu _had _gone there for water). Didn't take her long, now, did it?

He was there kneeling by reflective pool. He jumped just slightly when his name was called, but he relaxed when he realized it was Kluke. Shu spoke her name saying, "Oh, hey, Kluke." And then went back to gazing at something only he could see. It was only when she walked over did he drown her with actual comments. "So... What's been on your mind these days?" It was a formal question.

And it offended her.

This wasn't the Shu she grew up with. This was a completely different Shu... It wasn't _her _Shu. It was almost like... speaking to a stranger. It _hurt _her on the inside. "Nothing much... What about you?" On top of that, the Shu she knew wouldn't use a lame cover-up to lie about his true feelings at the current moment. He was never this formal with her... Never, never, never... He asked her another question, but it basically went in one ear and out the other. Only when he repeated himself did she respond, "Huh? Me? Yeah, I'm fine... I'm just thinking... I'm..." She bit down on her lower lip, preventing the tears from falling. "...just tired." She felt _awful_. She felt _pathetic. Crying!_ Out of all the bloody things to do, she's _crying_!

His eyes narrowed and before she could turn and run away, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kluke, I know if something's on your mind. I've been with you for a _long time_ now... So what is it?"

Should she tell him...?

_No_. A voice said. It took her a mere second to realize that the voice that spoke was_ hers_. It scared her even more; it didn't even sound like her voice. She reached with her mind, groping frantically in the dark confines. '_Phoenix...?_' She questioned mentally, voice raised an octave.

But it wasn't Phoenix.

For more proof on this, Shu's eyes had widened and he backed away, blinking twice. "Kluke, I didn't... Sorr—" But he cut himself off when she took off, completely not cognizant of the tears that fell along the way.

**IV. Growth and Persuasion**

He found her in the field outside the hospital. Said hospital was used for treating the survivors of the darkness... He was glad that it wasn't _her _in there. He was glad to see that she was standing outside, but the look on her face... Something was wrong. She was deeply troubled about something. The worst part was: If he _did _speak to her, he wouldn't have known what to say. Still, nonetheless, he picked himself up and walked calmly over to Kluke, who was clad in her white uniform. She had grown physically (and mentally) over the years; her frame contained more curves and her hair had lengthened quite a bit. She no longer adorned that ribbon (which upset him) but instead an elastic. He had changed too. Despite his attire which consisted of a yellow shirt (with a single red line down the side), green bandana, and brown shorts, Shu's height had increased (finally!).

When he stood in front of her, it was revealed that they were almost the same height now. She welcomed him by saying his name with a startled tone. He waved shyly. "So how has everything been so far? Are the patients making it through? Have you found anyone..." He cut himself off, not daring himself to say Schneider or Andropov's name. The look on her face told him that she was pained by it though. Instead of replying verbally, Kluke shook her head and averted her gaze back to the large building. A look of dismay swept over her features.

"I'm sorry, Shu... No, I haven't found anyone I know yet..."

In other words: I haven't found Andropov.

Shu's hands curled into tights fists and his jaw locked. Without meaning to, not wanting to say this _now_, but changed his mind, he spoke, "Legolas is holding a Resistance against the Rozenkruz." Silence. "I wanted to know if you wanted to join Bouquet and I?" Something flashed in her eyes, but it was gone so quickly that Shu was sure he imagined it. "Marumaro is at home, protecting his village, and I can't find Jiro." A pitiful expression pasted itself on his face. "_Please_, Kluke. You're knowledge with machines can really help out with this. I don't want to rush you off now while you're working, but maybe soon?"

Still no verbal response as a gentle wind softly blew the blades of grass, the baggy parts of their outfit flowing in the same direction as the field. And then, suddenly: "I'm sorry, Shu. I can't."

He gapped. "Kluke? What do you mean?"

"I can no longer fight," She struggled for a more studier excuse. "And I'm busy treating the patients at the hospital. Right now..." She narrowed her eyes, hating herself for saying these next words. "...they're more important than the Resistance. I can't watch the innocent die like this. I _have _to do _something_. Please try to understand..." Kluke wasn't able to add another word (nor was Shu able to respond) when the bell at the hospital chimed two times. _Two times_. That meant another death... In total, four times had that bell rung twice.

With that, she turned and charged towards the hospital doors, ignoring the incredulous, "_Kluke_! !"

**V. Resolve**

She expected him to yell at her when she showed up at the door. She expected him to turn and walk in the other direction. She expected him to do... a lot of things... But they never came. Instead, he listened intently to what she had to say and even persuaded Bouquet to occupy herself with something else. Kluke didn't know why, but she was apologizing for saying 'no' about joining the Resistance. It seemed half-hearted, because of the way she said it... The tone that the words held... It was solemn. It wasn't a sincere sorry, but it wasn't completely half-hearted.

He did none of those.

Instead, he told her 'it was alright' and he decided to spend some time with her. Even if it was a short walk, it was still nice to be by his side like this. Sure the atmosphere was a little strained due to the long separation, but it wasn't necessarily _bad_ in any way. Yet still...

As they walk along the streets of Nirvana, as they both tell each other how they felt during the separation and long before that, Kluke can't help think that this whole resolve isn't half bad.

_/_

**A/N****: **_That's all. I know, crappy ending, but I will admit: This was a long one shot, and it helped me get my inspiration back, and my mood lightened a bit._

_So Kitty... I don't know if you're reading this, but please stay strong. If you need someone to talk to, please let me know._

_And Lily89, if you're reading this, please review and let me know how Kitty's doing. If not, send me a PM through Kitty's account._

_Heaviest Shu/Kluke I've ever written... And I enjoyed writing this._

_This marks the 20__th__ Shu/Kluke fanfic in the archive._

**~ Inita**


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